Stripey New Year
I hope everyone has been enjoying the festivities over the last few days. An important part of Christmas for me is getting some time to make things. This might include the challenges inherent in attempting to do this whilst mildly inebriated but I find a bit of sherry tends to improve my performance if anything.
Over Christmas, I've been working on a couple of makes from January's Knit Today magazine. First up was this lavender heart from Lynn Rowe's Sweet Hearts project.
The lavender bag used Rowan All Seasons Cotton. Now, on the plus side, I had some in stash. On the other hand, we haven't been getting on and the leftover balls had been earmarked for the charity shop. I originally bought the yarn to try some amigurumi crochet, which was a disaster (maybe not entirely the fault of the yarn though). Later, I used it to make a knitted elephant, which was abandoned three quarters through - on that occasion I'm fairly sure the yarn was at fault.
Anyway, I pressed on with the All Seasons Cotton and 3.75mm needles. The back of the heart is knitted plain and then the front in stripes. I stuck to two colours as I haven't done stripes for a while and didn't want to get my wool too tangled.
To make up, I back stitched the two hearts right sides together (I find mattress stitch on shaped pieces a bit of a nightmare) and then turned. I stuffed the heart with a combination of toy filling and lavender that was secured in a bag made from one foot of a pop sock. I used mattress stitch (poorly) to close the gap.
Finally, as per the project, I fastened some ribbon to the front and back of the heart with a pretty button. I used nice non-fraying felt ribbon and a couple of pretty heart shaped buttons I had in stash. I made a couple of stitches to secure the ribbon at the top.
This to my mind is a perfect magazine project - quick, simple and made entirely from stash.
Next up was this slightly less simple cat from Ann Franklin's The Owl and The Pussycat project in the same issue. You might at this stage be wondering what happened to the owl and indeed the pea green boat. Unfortunately, the owl was odd-looking and the boat looked time-consuming so I pared down the story a bit.
In the magazine, the cat is done in yellow and black stripes, which my husband said made it look more like a bee. He agreed that my effort in green and cream Bowland Wool Blue Faced Leicester looked much more realistic.
The project is a traditional toy knit, with all the pieces knitted flat on 3.25mm needles and then sewn together. Based on long experience, I did all my sewing up as I went along so I didn't get bored and just abandon it at the end. I also find it more encouraging as toy knits tend to look odd until they are made up (and sometimes afterwards too).
Once again, I back stitched the body and tail pieces, filled them with toy filling and then turned to mattress stitch the gap closed. I added a bag of plastic pellets to the cat's body for ballast, although they keep moving around inside.
I don't think I did a brilliant job of the face - the eyes are too low down, but I think the yarn looks really good in the striped pattern. To finish, I tied a grey silk bow around the cat's tail (which also hides the slightly dubious stitching of the tail onto the body).
So, stripey fun all round. I'm back on the amigurumi crochet now (minus the Rowan All Seasons cotton), so let's see how that turns out...
Happy New Year!
Melx
Happy Holidays
I don't do a lot of Christmas knitting for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I figure you don't get the wear. Secondly, I largely don't start in time for the project to be ready for Christmas. This stocking would be a case in point. I promised to make my husband a Christmas stocking for last Christmas and I only got it done for this year by the skin of my teeth.
I was looking around a few months ago for a suitable pattern or kit. I didn't want anything too tricky or that would take the rest of my life to knit. Hence, I was delighted to come across this Knit and Design Your Own Christmas Stocking Kit from The Little Knit Kit Company, which specialises in children's and beginner kits. I've made a few of their kits before, including most recently, my surf van bag.
The stocking is made in two identical pieces with chunky red yarn knitted entirely in garter stitch with some simple shaping. I used the 5mm sparkly Pony needles Julie kindly sent me with my kit as I already have several pairs of the ones that normally come with the kits.
The kit provides some white felt to make the top of the stocking, but I opted to make the top with some leftover Rowan Pure Life chunky and did a little section in stocking stitch finished with rib. One side has 1x1 rib and the other 2x2 rib because I forgot which I'd done, but it's not very noticeable.
The stocking is a fair size at 16 inches long, although I think that's good as hubby's presents are quite chunky and I don't want to stretch my precious knitting. It took a while to sew the two sides together though. I did it all in mattress stitch, which I don't find as traumatic for garter stitch as I do for stocking stitch.
Again, the kit provides felt to make some embellishments for your stocking. I went off-piste a little here too and made a couple of pom poms using the white yarn and my trusty Clover pom pom maker. I also sewed on a couple of bells to the heel for a satisfying jingle.
For the felt embellishment part, I opted to use my Cuttlebug to die cut two reindeer for each side using a Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz die and some green felt with silver sparkles. I glued the reindeer on with craft glue as they were a bit spindly to sew.
So, hubby is very pleased with his stocking and hasn't once commented about it being 12 months late.Now, if I could just motivate myself to make another one for myself. Maybe next year...
Merry Christmas
Melx
Keeping Hello Kitty Warm this Winter
One small pleasure of having a bit more experience with knitting is the ability, in a very small way, to design your own makes when you need to.
I purchased this delightful 2012 Hello Kitty diary from the fantastic Strapya of Japan and I was most concerned about keeping it in pristine condition as it bounced about my handbag. A diary cover was clearly called for.
For this endeavour, I decided to use some pink Debbie Bliss Glen that I bought on impulse when I was last in London and had the opportunity to visit the delightful Tricolette yarn shop.
For once, I used the tension advice (14 stitches to 10 cm) to calculate the number of stitches I would need by measuring the diary and compensating for the fact I planned to use 6mm rather than 6.5mm needles.
Although it's a bit of a faff, I have got quite addicted to knitting in the round using magic loop on circular needles with a long cable because it gives such a seamless result and saves tons of sewing up. I read an interview with Debbie Bliss recently saying she advised learning to love sewing up as you had to do such a lot of it, but I'm still in denial...
So, I cast on 32 stitches and did several rounds of 1x1 rib to ensure a flat top for my diary cover. I find rib surprisingly difficult as I find it's easy to forget whether you're supposed to be knitting or purling.
Anyway, once that challenge was out of the way, it was just round and round until the piece was long enough. Another advantage with doing it as a circular knit was that it was very easy to keep trying the diary inside the work in progress to ensure the size was perfect.
I used three needle bind off to make the bottom of the diary cover, so no sewing at all and just a measly two ends to weave in. Woo hoo!
To embellish my diary cover, I sewed on a pretty wooden button from my stash and then glued on a felt flower embellishment from my favour purveyor of felty things, paper and string.
So, a cute and cosy cover for Hello Kitty, custom made to fit with no dodgy making up. I feel quite proud...
Melx
Chunky love...
I started to covet Artesano superchunky when I saw it advertised in several of the knitting mags. 50% superfine alpaca and 50% Peruvian highland wool knitted on huge 12mm needles. What's not to love?
I duly sent for the pattern book promising "a collection of 20 fun projects and accessories" from Laughing Hens. Many of the projects required three 100g hanks, so I duly acquired three lots of Cerise, Damson and Cranberry.
I decided to start with the easiest project in the book, Sue Hanmore's heart cushion, for which I settled on the Cerise yarn.
The cushion was knitted flat on 12mm needles in two halves beginning at the bottom with one stitch and then working both sides separately for the top of the heart.
I particularly liked that you could see it was turning into the right thing before your eyes (I had just binned a three-quarter finished toy knit that took me a considerable amount of time to realise was turning into something that was likely to frighten children).
If at this point you're admiring my fab Babushka doll knitting needles, they came from Sail on Baby's Etsy shop and I also have a matching 8mm crochet hook.
Once I had my two sides knitted, I sewed them right sides together with one ply of yarn and a small overstitch as per the finishing instructions. I was a little skeptical about this joining technique but it does give a proper shape and finish. I left a small gap and then turned and stuffed the cushion, taking care to avoid lumps (stuffing can be surprisingly time consuming). I then sewed the gap closed.
The pattern had a fiddly embellishment made of i-cord with a bobble that I decided I couldn't be bothered with. Instead, I made Lisa Jane Bevan's poppy flower from the same pattern booklet with an 8mm crochet hook. The pattern said a size 8 crochet hook, but that's only 4mm and seemed much too small for superchunky yarn. Anyway, my 8mm version looked fine, so I popped a large pearlised button from my stash in the centre and sewed it onto the cushion.
I really love the cushion and the pattern looks pretty versatile for making heart cushions with other yarn and needle combinations (I'm just making my mum a smaller, felted version with Icelandic Lopi and 5.5mm needles).
I've also got two more superchunky projects to look forward to - I'm thinking I fancy the cabled bag and the bramble stitch hat, but watch this space...
Melx
Things I could stick pins in...
I came across Heather Bailey's supercute Henrietta Turtle pincushion in Mollie Makes magazine a while ago, but couldn't quite be bothered to send to the US for it. Then, when I was in holiday in York at the end of October I came across the pattern in Grace and Jacob and snapped it up.
Perusing the pattern, it seemed harder than I was ideally looking for (i.e. more than could be accomplished by a squirrel in a coma), but after two weeks of procrastination, I got down to it.
As usual for sewing makes, I glued the pattern pieces onto thick cardboard and cut them out to make templates.Sometimes, I photocopy the pattern so I have the original if I decide to make another, but I sensed I would never make two of these...
All the pieces other than the shell had to be reinforced with iron-on interfacing. The instructions suggested cutting each piece from fabric, then from interfacing and then ironing together. I thought it was less work to iron on the interfacing then cut the pieces out once (also less chance of mismatching).
The spotty fabric for the body and the patterned fabric from the shell both came from Seamstar and in fact are leftovers from a cushion I haven't quite finished making. Tut tut.
To make the body, you had to sew a panel using the two inner leg pieces and the belly piece. This was a bit of a head wobbler for me as they didn't seem to fit together terribly well, despite my husband trying to explain how they did. I was so unconfident, I tacked everything in place first. I then used the sewing machine with a quarter inch foot to do the stitching.
Next, it was a question of sewing the inner legs and belly to the main body pieces to make a 3D turtle shape. Again, I had reservations about the quality of the fit. I used pinking shears to clip and notch the curves, but it still doesn't look quite right at some of the joins (but happily only if you turn it upside down).
I stuffed the body really firmly, which took ages as I tried to get the turtle to stand up well. My back was a bit bumpy when I sewed up the gap, but fortunately the shell hides the worst of it.
Happily, the shell was much easier to make, although it did involve darts, which I always find confusing. After creating a dart in each half shell, it was a question of sewing the outer and lining pieces together and turning right side out through a small gap in the lining.
I decided to use a ready made flower embellishment from Paper and String rather than make one from the pattern. My version is at the back not the front due to poor planning about how the fabric pattern on the shell would be positioned.
Finally, I sewed the shell to the body with a few stitches at the head and tail and added two small black beads for eyes.
To top off my turtle, I made some handmade pins by gluing 5mm swarovski crystals onto dressmaking pins with Araldite.
I do think Henrietta looks fairly plausible, as long as you don't peak too closely. This is what she should have looked like if you're curious. I quite enjoyed throwing out the pattern templates and instructions when she was done though. Definitely, a once in a lifetime experience...
Melx
Happy Halloween....
Okay, so this isn't very spooky by my standards but I think it is a fitting tribute to the end of October. It's a shoulder shrug kit that I bought from Injabulo in the sale ages ago and finally dug out over the weekend.
The shrug is knitted in Colinette Point Five in a shade called, appropriately, Autumn Afternoon. If you've not come across it, Point Five is a beautiful 100% pure wool yarn, variegated in shade and also thickness.
The pattern uses larger-than-recommended 15mm needles to obtain a open weave for the shrug and uses just two 100g hanks.
To get started, I got out my very favourite knitting gadgets of my swift and ball winder. In no time at all, I transformed my hanks into neat cakes of wool. Next, out with the 15mm broom stick needles.
The knitting for this pattern couldn't have been easier - 30 rows of garter stitch with a little simple shaping. The only complication is watching your stitch count because the yarn varies so much in thickness.I got the whole thing finished in two sessions, although my arms ached a bit from using the giant needles.
To complete the kit and fasten your shrug, you get one of the lovely Injabulo ceramic heart buttons, which I sewed on with some green yarn. The pattern said there was no need to create a button hole and indeed I found a handy loop for fastening.
So, I have a lovely shrug to remind me of all the colours of Autumn as the winter months begin. Very much looking at hats and scarves as my next projects...
Melx
Make Jewellery Magazine Issue 31
What first attracted me to Helen Cant's Headline News project in November 2011's Make Jewellery Magazine is that I already had several of the focal beads. My stash already contained the acrylic telephone charm and the large news print beads. As I've done quite a few of Helen's project from the mag, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised we share the same taste in beads...
Anyway, to start the necklace, I threaded the newsprint beads onto headpins with a small hematite bead at each end. I then joined the
two beads with jump rings to some silver plated chain to form the back of the necklace. The necklace was going to be long enough to slip over my head, so I didn't both with a clasp.
Next, I joined the other end of the newsprint beads together with another length of chain for the front part of the necklace. I attached the telephone charm in the middle using a jump ring.
To decorate the rest of the necklace, I added a selection of red, black and silver beads from my stash, mounting the on headpins and joining them to the necklace with jump rings.
Now for the fiddly bit. I bought the antique brass cameo settings recommended by the project from Zap Creatives. Following Helen's instructions, I installed a typewriter font, Special Elite, onto my computer from Font Squirrel. I then used MS Word to create a small black circle with the words "Out Of Office" in white typewriter font. I printed out the circle and then cut it out with small sharp scissors. I glued the circle into the cameo using PVA and then sealed it with Diamond Glaze, adhesive varnish that dries to a glossy finish:
After a lengthy drying process, I attached the cameo to the necklace and then bravely repeated the whole process twice to make some matching earrings:
So, an excellent addition to the office punk look I like to cultivate at work using stuff (mostly) from my stash...
Melx
Crochet refresher...
I've been aware that, although I've made a few things since I learned to crochet back in March, I've been a bit neglectful of my hooking of late. So, I decided to brush up on my crochet with a couple of quick and simple projects.
First up, was this simple clutch from a free pattern on the Lion Brand Yarns website. I made it using Sirdar Click Chunky and a 6mm crochet hook.
Now, unfortunately, the one thing I didn't master on my crochet course was crocheting into the foundation chain. The instructor showed me how to make a chainless foundation row of double crochet. I reminded myself how to do it using this great video on YouTube.
Once I had my 18 stitches, it was just double crochet and then chain and turn until the piece was long enough. I made up the sides of the clutch using a crochet hook and slip stitch.
As the pattern suggested, I sewed on a button and used the natural gap in the crochet fabric as a button hole. In fact the button is rather fabulous. It's from a vintage-style range I bought from Loop Yarn Shop in London. Quite pricey at £27.95 for seven buttons, but very nice...
To finish off, I made a lining on my sewing machine using some pretty pink fawn fabric from Fabric Rehab and then slip stitched it into the clutch by hand.
The second project I tackled was this sweet crochet basket from I book I bought recently, Pots to Knit and Crochet by Gina Alton, which is a great resource for a container obsessive such as myself.
The basket is made in spirals in double crochet and uses chain to make the handle with a slip stitch finish. You can make it in any yarn/hook combination. I chose red Icelandic Lopi with a 5.5mm hook. I'm always terrified of my stitch marker falling off when crocheting in the round. I really should get one with a lobster clasp.
To finish the basket, I felted it in the washing machine on a single 60 degree cycle and left it to dry stuffed with tissue paper to maintain its shape. Now the basket is all fluffy yet quite robust.
So, having warmed up a bit, I'm going to tackle some amigurumi. I've just started a matryoska doll pattern from Amy Gaines and I'm leafing through Super Scary Crochet by Nicki Trench for something cool to make for Halloween.
Melx
Double, double toil and trouble...
Okay, I'm probably exaggerating but these cutesy little witches were a little more fiddly that they might appear. I got the pattern as a PDF from This Cosy Life's Etsy shop, which specialises in Waldorf-inspired knitted toys.
The first challenge was that the witches in the pattern were made using wooden dolls from US store Hobby Lobby, which is kind of a long way from Lancashire. As a substitute, I ordered no less than three different types of wooden doll from Panduro Hobby. The 7cm high dolls with a 3cm diameter head turned out to be the best match.
The dress and hat are knitted on double-pointed needles, which regular readers will know, I still haven't mastered. Hence, I used the magic loop techniques with circular needles and a long cable. It worked pretty well, although you do end up with odd numbers of stitches on each needle.
The dresses and hats were made from scraps of aran weight yarn in my stash and were knitted on 4.5mm needles. I had to adapt the dress pattern a little as the shape of my doll was more tapered than the one the designer had used.
The trickiest part is the hat. It starts from one stitch, becomes i-cord and then moves into circular knitting. I'd almost got the hang of it by the third one.
The great thing about the pattern (and why I continue to persevere with knitting in the round) is that the making up was a breeze. For each dress, there was one end to weave in and then you use the cast off end to secure the dress around the doll's neck. The ends of the hat were equally easy to conceal and then I glued the hat to the doll's head using Bostik all purpose glue.
To finish, I added some small embellishments, starting with a star button on each hat - a different colour for each witch. For the dresses, one witch got three tiny Papermania spotty buttons, one got a pumpkin button and one got a bunny embellishment.
This is exactly the sort of project I like - quick, cute and a little bit spooky. Now, if I only I can think of something to do with those leftover wooden dolls....
Melx
Makes on the move...
I spent Monday-Friday in London for work last week so took a number of knitting projects to while away the train and hotel hours. Travel makes need to be chosen carefully in my opinion. You don't want anything that requires schlepping too much equipment and you need to avoid long needles in case you jab them into a fellow commuter by accident. I did end up taking three sizes of knitting needle though....
First up was the jewellery bag, which was a project for kids from Simply Knitting September 2011. I made in on 4mm needles using King Cole Galaxy. I'd never knitted with sequined yarn before and spent quite a long time pushing the sequins through to the right side of the work. The bag is knitted in one piece of stocking stitch with an eyelet row done with yarn forwards. I sewed the side and base of the bag together with mattress stitch. I did take along a tapestry needle so I could do making up as I went along.
I did the final finishing of the bag back home, adding some silver grey ribbon and two troll-style beads to fasten the bag. Quite stylish, I thought (and not at all like something a child could make).
The second project was a felted pin cushion from a free pattern on the Lion Brand Yarn website. For this, I used up the very last of my Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran from last week's bag. I made a simple stocking stitch rectangle on 5.5mm needles and then sewed up the sides.
As I couldn't really ask the hotel to felt my pin cushion, I did that when I got home - two 60 degree cycles. I then stuffed and sewed up the final edge. For decoration, I use a cute pumpkin button.
To make things extra complicated, I decided to make some pins to go with it (who does that?). These are Lucite flowers from The Bead Shop Manchester glued on to long dressmaker's pins with Araldite two part glue. Fiddly but quite effective.
Finally, I knitted this delightful felted purse, which was a kit from Sheepfold. I've made a couple of their kits before and they've always turned out really well.
This purse was made in pure wool DK on 4.5mm needles, mostly in stocking stitch. I just about managed to make the button hole, despite ending up with two holes at one stage. I felted the purse at home alongside the pin cushion and it came out beautifully.
The final step was to sew on the pretty floral button that came with the kit.
So, a productive week away. As well as my three projects I also got a chance to visit two awesome knitting shops in London - Loop and Tricolette. Purchased quite a few goodies and had trouble closing my suitcase for the journey home...
Melx
Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitful Makes
I love Autumn and the run up to Halloween. There are lots of spooky projects to make and I look slightly less weird than when I do this stuff in July.
My first Autumn knitting project is this felted shoulder bag. It's from a PDF pattern I found on Etsy from Arly. PDF patterns are great as they take up no room at all until it's time to print it out and make your project.
For the bag, I used some Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran I had left over from my knitted rabbit back in the days when I didn't know the difference between a 50g and a 100g ball.
The bag is knitted in the round on 5.5mm circular needles with a 40cm cable, giving me a chance to get out my super Knit Pro Rosewood interchangeable needle set. I found the first couple of rounds hard going - the cable seemed too big for the piece, but then it settled down to a nice relaxing knit.
For the top of the bag, I opted for 2x2 rather than the 1x1 rib in the pattern just because I find it a bit easier to follow the knits and purls. After casting off, I just had the bottom of the bag to sew together using mattress stitch (I confess to becoming something of a convert to knitting in the round after arguing vociferously that it was a ridiculously complicated way of going about things).
The pattern uses braided yarn for the strap. I don't really understand braiding too well so I opted for a six stitch i-cord on 5mm double pointed needles. I then sewed the strap to the bag.
I knew this wool felted beautifully and my bag was a little bigger than it should have been so I sent it for a 60 degree felting trip around the washing machine to make it wonderful and soft (and hide any dodgy bits).
For some added structural integrity, I made a lining for the bag from a beautiful orange spider's web fat quarter I had in stash and some heavy weight sew-in interfacing. I machine sewed the sides of the lining and then slip stitched it by hand into place in the bag.
I did add a magnetic closure to the lining, but I have to confess that the two halves don't match up properly so the bag is slightly skew whiff if you use the closure. Magnetic clasps are terrifying to fit as you have to jab through the fabric with sharp scissors to make the hole for the legs of the claps and there's no going back once it's in.
For final decoration, I used a delightful ceramic pumpkin button from Injabulo and made a little tassel from three strands of yarn.
So, notwithstanding a slight hiccup with the magnetic closure, a good start to the season...
Melx
Mollie Makes Issue 2
I was initially a bit suspicious of Mollie Makes magazine as potentially a bit of style over substance, but now I'm in love with its cute projects and pages of crafty interiors and general loveliness. I even love the kind of paper it's printed on. However, I remain suspicious of the "thrifting" part of the "making, thrifting, collecting, crafting" strapline as I've spent a fortune on stuff I've seen featured in there...
Anyway, you know the rules. Subscribe to a magazine and you have to try and make at least one thing from it per issue. I'm a bit behind but last weekend I finally got around to Lori Marie's supercute Foxy Lady project from Issue 2. I do love felt makes due to the lack of fraying and the fact I can always make them from stash.
To get started, I enlarged the templates as directed on the photocopier at work, which took far too many attempts. I then glued the templates onto stiff cardboard and cut them out so I could draw around them more easily with my trusty disappearing pen.
The only colour of felt I changed from the magazine was the body. The project uses a rather odd mustard colour whereas I would say foxes should be orange. DH pointed out that real foxes aren't orange but a swift look around my collection of plush foxes (I have several) proved that orange was right.I used a square of Moda Freebird from a charm pack for the belly piece. The only really tricky bit to cut out was the eyelashes as the brown felt was too dark to see the pen. I cut them freehand eventually.
The magazine then suggested gluing all the features in place, which I did. You are then supposed to sew over the features with a small zig zag stitch. I started this with the glue still wet, realised it was a bad idea and went off for a bath whilst the glue dried properly.
I was quite nervy using my sewing machine on such small pieces so I confined my zig zags to the jowls and belly piece. I used a straight stitch over the tail tip. I then used two strands of embroidery thread to highlight the ears, eyelashes, nose and flower and fill in the flower stem as per the instructions.
I machine sewed the tail together first. Felt is all very well but the rights sides out part means your stitches show. I left myself a minuscule gap for stuffing, so that took quite a while. I was concentrating so hard when sewing the body pieces together that I totally forgot to sandwich in the tail and had to attach it later! I sewed up the gap at the bottom of the body after stuffing on the machine and then used scissors to trim any mismatch between front and back.
And there she is. A thoroughly cute, yet fairly easy project that I think gives quite a sophisticated result (would have been more sophisticated if I'd sewn the tail in correctly!). So more Mollie Makes makes in the future me thinks...
Melx
Make Jewellery Magazine August 2011
A break from the knitting this week for two reasons. Firstly, I am hideously behind with my jewellery projects. Secondly, I've been experiencing aching on the left side of my neck, going down my shoulder and arms, which my doctor tells me, shock, horror is the result of too much knitting! I need to take it easy until the symptoms go away and then improve my knitting posture.
So, banned from knitting, I decided to tackle Helen Cant's All That Glitters resin project from August's Make Jewellery Magazine.
I get my water cast resin from East Coast Fibreglass Supplies and its shelf life can be as little as three months. It's been a bit longer than that since I did any resin casting, so I had a quick, probably very unscientific, check and it seemed okay so I proceeded.
Helen's project involved encasing butterfly and flower sequins from Mei Flower in clear resin and then creating a glittery resin back. Quite a few pieces were illustrated in the magazine but I settled on the butterfly necklace, a ring and some earrings.
The butterfly mould I bought specially from Hobbycraft and I already had an assorted jewels mould from Metal Clay for the rest.
I have found that the trick with encasing things in resin is planning, so I played around with the sequins in the mould to work out a rough arrangement and how many I needed.
I wore my fetching full face mask to mix the clear resin and the accelerator to pour into the moulds. I then used a cocktail stick to add in the sequins and poke them into place. I then left the clear layer to set.
The next day, I mixed some more resin then added some purple transparent pigment and some purple glitter. I then poured the glittery layer onto the back of the clear resin and left it to set for a further 24 hours.
The resin set perfectly and I was pleased with the purple glitter effect. I had previously tried to used glitter with solid rather than transparent pigment and the effect had been rather mottled.
Now came my least favourite part, for which I roped in hubby. The sanding. We sanded the back of each piece wet with sandpaper starting at a 400 grade and work to a finer 1200 grade. Hubby also applied three grades of plastic polish to the clear side of the shapes (he has much more patience than me).
To get the shapes ready to make into jewellery, hubby kindly drilled holes in the top of the wings of the butterfly (a bit mean really) and then attached pegs to the earring shapes.
To finish the butterfly necklace, I attached a piece of the silver plated chain to each wing using large jump rings and added a jump ring and lobster clasp at the back to close. The ring cabochon was scored on the back and then glued to a ring base using Araldite two part glue. For the earrings, I added plastic star beads to make a longer drop earring and attached them to sterling silver hooks.
I think the pieces are very effective and haven't given me any sort of strain injury. I doubt I'll be able to keep way from my knitting needles for long though...
Melx
It came (very slowly) from out of space...
I first saw this cushion on a preview advert for a new pattern book for Patons Fab DK. Before I got round to sending for the whole booklet, the cushion and its matching children's cardigan showed up in the Irresistible Gifts to Knit supplement to September's Simply Knitting magazine. Handy non?
I feel a bit guilty about it but I decided to eschew the Patons Fab DK yard for two reasons. One, I didn't have any and my stash is getting out of control. Two, Fab Dk is 100% acrylic and so doesn't meet my yarn snob 50% wool criterion.
Instead, I decided to use some Artesano Hummingbird DK in Woodpecker, which is 100% alpaca and variegates through red, orange, yellow and green. I got it as a magazine subscription gift and have been looking for something nice to use it for as there's no way I could make the sock pattern it came with. For the alien's plain red arms and legs I used some Rowan Pure Wool DK I had in stash.
The cushion is knitted flat on 3.25mm needles and hence has taken me about three weeks to complete, which is an eternity for me. You make two body pieces and four arms and legs. I had serious motivational issues making the second body piece, which is why I'm not sure I'll ever knit socks. The body was fairly straightforward with some simple shaping and division for the eye stalks.
The arms and legs were pretty quick to make. I sewed them up with mattress stitch and then stuffed them prior to sandwiching them between the body parts for the final making up. I opted to back stitch the two halves of the body together as I find mattress stitch on shaped pieces difficult, plus I needed to sew in the arms and legs firmly. I left a gap at the bottom and stuffed with what felt like endless amounts of toy filler, before mattress stitching the gap up neatly.
The pattern used felt for the eyes but the templates weren't included so I decided to give that a miss and use two large plastic buttons I had purchased recently. My husband agreed with me that the mouth design from the pattern didn't really work so I decided to add a felt heart applique instead. I appreciate this is not functionally the same but I thought it was more atheistically pleasing.I sewed the heart on with oordinary pink sewing thread, overcoming my lazy instinct to glue it on.
The finished cushion is cute if a little odd. The Artesano alpaca yarn is really lovely so I'm glad I trusted my instincts on that one. I'm off to knit something nice and chunky now...
Melx
Extremely easy
These two cushions come from Rachel John's Extreme Knitted Cushion Kit that I purchased from Create and Craft TV for £29.99. Rachel has had a lot of publicity in the magazines and she even popped up on Dragons Den the other week, although she unfortunately didn't get investment. Mostly, I was seduced by the idea of being able to produce a cushion in 1-2 hours.
The kit contained 15mm high quality wooden needles, seven sets of yarn and a 12 inch cushion pad, plus the pattern. Four of the yarns were 100% cotton ribbon and the rest were wool.
The pattern simply gave you a choice between garter stitch and stocking stitch and told you to cast on 14 stitches using all your yarns together and keep going until the cushion fit around the pad.
I was a bit surprised, there wasn't more by way of instruction on how to handle all your strands of yarn, but I set off in faith and garter stitch and, actually, it was easy. My top tip would be simply to keep a firm grasp on all the strands of yarn, as you can leave one behind if you're not careful. Other than that, you just need to knit cleanly through all seven strands on each stitch. I can't believe I used to be nervous about knitting with two stands together!
Once I'd knitted enough, I sewed up the sides and top of the cushion with mattress stitch and there it was. I didn't time myself but I certainly finished in an evening. As there seemed quite a lot of yarn left, I made a second cushion of the same size using stocking stitch, again with good results.
Now, for confession time. I don't actually like the cushions. The inclusion of all the ribbon yarn gives them quite a rag-rug texture. I like my knitting softer and more cuddly. So, although I'd definitely use the technique again (I'm thinking it would be good for a throw), shortly after the photo at the top was taken, the cushions were banished to the charity shop. Cushion space is at a premium in my house so only cushions I love get to stay. Harsh but true...
Melx
Let's Knit Issue 45
I never had any Sylvanian family animals as a child. I was deeply aggrieved by this so, as an adult, I bought my own. I particularly love the babies, although my husband insists that, in real life, they would eat each other rather than play happily together whilst wearing cute little outfits.
Anyway, I was thrilled when I saw Val Pierce's Carry on Camping project in August's issue of Let's Knit magazine. I felt my assorted critters would really like a summer camping holiday.
You could use any double knit yarn for the project and my Sylvanian family were very lucky as they ended up with Bowland Wool Blue Faced Leicester in four delightful natural shades.
First up was the tent.
This was knitted in one large strip for the main part of the tent, done with two strands of different shades together using 5mm needles. I used to be nervous about knitting two strands together, but with one ball in each of my two yarn bowls, it was easy. The back is knitted as a triangle and then the two tent flaps were knitted on smaller needles in just one shade. I'm not confident I sewed the tent flaps on the right way round, but they look okay to me.
The hardest part of the tent was in fact making the frame from cardboard. I found some thick cardboard left over from bedding packaging and cut three triangles with a tab on each, glued them to together and then used some gaffer tape for extra strength. The knitted tent fit over the frame really well and is still standing so must be sufficiently robust.
The ground sheet is also knitted two strands together, with one colour combo for the edges and another for the middle and it lies nice and flat. The sleeping bags are made on 4mm needles in two colours - one for the pillow section and one for the bottom. I made two in different colour ways. You pad the pillow section slightly with toy filler when making up. I decorated my sleeping bags as the project suggested, using Papermania bows on the front of each.
The picnic blanket is made up of three garter stitch strips sewn together. I used slightly fewer colours than the magazine, but I think it looks nice:
You get no fewer than three patterns to use for the little cushions. One in moss stitch, one in garter stitch and one in stocking stitch stripes. These were a little fiddly to sew up but look sweet piled up on the picnic blanket.
The bunnies and their pals seem to approve of their new holiday lodgings, I had fun making all the bits and pieces, so a fab project all round...
Melx
My elephant has no ears....
This is Rosie, a project from Knitwit: 20 Fun Projects for Beginners and Seasoned Knitters by Katie Boyette. There are some extremely cool patterns in here, but I would dispute the beginners part of the title as most of the knitting is in the round. I know some knitters will insist it's just as easy as knitting on straight needles, but I respectfully disagree.
As it is, Rosie is marked as an intermediate project rather than a beginner one and I chose to attempt her first, so difficulty probably is in the eye of the beholder.
The instructions in the book are for knitting with double pointed needles. I knitted Rosie using magic loop with circular needles with a long cable as DPNs remain beyond my grasp.
In many ways, Rosie is like lots of the toys I've knitted flat in terms of separate pieces for the body, head, arms and legs (there really aren't any ears). I have to admit that it's nice not to have to do quite so much sewing at the end though.
I used some beautiful pure wool aran in a variegated purple that I found in my stash, which I think looks rather nice. I used some plastic pellets in Rosie's body to help her sit up properly. The rest of her is stuffed with toy filler.
I cut Rosie's eyes free hand from felt as I hadn't photocopied the templates from the book by the time she needed to see. I glued the eyes together as they were a bit fiddly to sew. Rosie also has a a circle of purple felt on the end of her trunk.
Rosie's crown was cut freehand from felt by my husband as his attempt was better than mine.
My husband thinks Rosie looks oidd due to her lack of ears but I find her rather sweet. She doesn't come when called though...
Melx
4 Ply Frenzy
On my recent and extremely enjoyable day out to Woolfest in Cumbria, I bought several knitting kits. I've just got two of them finished - both by Suzie Johnson of The Wool Sanctuary (it sounds a lovely idea doesn't it - a wool sanctuary?).
First up was the Lois Pincushion kit, which comprised the the pattern, a ball of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK and some small strands of yarn for the scarf.
Lois is knitted on 3.75mm needles in two pieces for the body and then the two ears. She's done in reverse stocking stitch, which I think essentially means you do stocking stitch and then sew it together wrong sides out. I added a button from my stash for one of her eyes and then embroidered the other one in yarn. I sewed the two body pieces together using back stitch and stuffed with a little toy filler.
Lois's scarf is knitted in garter stitch from a few oddments of yarn and then tied around her neck. I think she may be too cute to stick pins in though...
The second kit is a lavender bag, for which you get 18 colours of what I strongly suspect is 4-ply, a bag of sequins and beads, and a piece of organza to house the lavender.
The bag itself is knitted in one piece using intarsia to make the squares.This was actually quite fiddly with spindly 3mm needles and the finer yarn. I'm not sure I'm going to be a 4-ply fan in the longer term. Anyway, I put my Clover knitting bobbins to good use to keep the colours under control. I had to do a little sewing when weaving in the ends to cover the holes where the colours were first joined in.
I wasn't sure I followed the instructions for the top edges of the bag properly but decided to reverse the stocking stitch and then fold it back down so it faces right side out.
After knitting the squares, I sewed on the beads and sequins provided at the points where the squares meet with ordinary sewing thread. I sewed the bag up the sides with yarn using back stitch, right sides together.
To fill the bag, I put some lavender from my stash into the centre of the organza piece and then fastened into a bulb shape with an elastic band. I tied the organza further up for decoration with some pretty ribbon from Ribbon Circus in Hebden Bridge.
Finally, I popped the organza parcel in the bag. At that stage, I noticed that the organza was fraying quite a bit and, after considering a couple of options (my husband suggested trying to melt the edge with a flame - visions of an organza fireball), I trimmed round the organza with pinking shears.
Despite me not being keen on the 4-ply, I did really like Suzie's patterns and I've since bought a few more as PDFs to try later.
Melx
Anyway, I pressed on with the All Seasons Cotton and 3.75mm needles. The back of the heart is knitted plain and then the front in stripes. I stuck to two colours as I haven't done stripes for a while and didn't want to get my wool too tangled.
